Maharashtra Covid-19 deaths cross 1 lakh, 12,557 fresh cases recorded

The state witnessed 12,557 new coronavirus cases, taking the cumulative tally to 5,831,781. This is the lowest daily number of cases recorded in the state in nearly three months.

Maharashtra on Sunday crossed the grim milestone of one lakh coronavirus (Covid-19) deaths after 230 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the health bulletin. The state witnessed 12,557 new coronavirus cases, taking the cumulative tally to 5,831,781. This is the lowest daily number of cases recorded in the state in nearly three months.

Pedestrians walk past a wall mural representing awareness measures against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Navi Mumbai on June 6, 2021. (AFP)

The last time the state recorded Covid-19 cases less than 12,000 was on March 9 when 9,927 cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours.

However, the country's worst-affected state became the first in the country to see more than one lakh deaths on Sunday. Only seven countries, including India, have more than one lakh casualties.

The other countries in the list are Russia (123,436 deaths), Italy (126,472 deaths), the UK (127,836 deaths), India (346,784 fatalities), Brazil (472,629 fatalities) and the worst-hit United States (612,203 deaths).

Mumbai city has also added 786 fresh Covid-19 cases with 120 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The authorities have carried out 237,484 tests in the state, the health bulletin said.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said the government was taking a "calculated risk" by relaxing the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the state. He added that people need to take care of themselves.

"The state government is taking a calculated risk and hence people have to take care of themselves. Nothing is going to be eased immediately. Some criteria and levels have been fixed and the local administration will take decisions on whether to ease restrictions and further tighten them," the chief minister said.

The state government has announced a five-level plan to relax the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the state from Monday, based on the weekly positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygen beds. A notification to this effect was issued on Friday night. In the third level of the plan, restaurants, shops selling non-essential items and public places are set to reopen.

"The state government is taking a calculated risk and hence people have to take care of themselves. Nothing is going to be eased immediately. Some criteria and levels have been fixed and the local administration will take decisions on whether to ease restrictions and further tighten them," the chief minister said.

The lockdown-like restrictions in Maharashtra were imposed in April this year when the second wave of the pandemic intensified.